exploring

i'm exploring my new neighborhood. it backs up to an old brick sewing factory, covered in vines. i fell in love with some blue graffiti on the lovely brown rust.

words and photographs by rebecca wood

apples

photo by kristen bach

apple pickin'

as i mentioned in my monday post we just headed north for the weekend to pick apples.  we first visited georgia's apple country while we were expecting our daughter, maypop.  each season since then we have made it a family tradition to pick apples and all of the yummy goodness that comes along.  here are some moments from our fun trip!

photos and words by kristen bach

greens

more playing with leftover ingredients from 3 porch farm...

arrangement and photographs by rinne allen

tufts

photograph by rinne allen

apple stacks

this weekend we headed up to north georgia for a day of apple picking.  this has become an annual tradition for us that we look forward to every fall.  i have been seeing these recipes for apple pull apart bread and wanted to try my hand at one.  i followed this basic dough recipe and made some modifications to the filling.  my daughter enjoyed helping me out with this one.....and we got to practice some patience with the two risings.  this bread took us almost all day from start to finish but the apples and cinnamon made our house smell like fall- it was worth the wait!

making the dough (the dough recipe is from the blog half baked)

ingredients

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup lukewarm milk

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast   

directions

-whisk together the butter, milk, water, eggs, and vanilla extract.

-in the bowl mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast, then add the wet ingredients.

-using the dough hook attachment mix and knead, until the dough is smooth. the dough will be quite soft. if it seems too dry add a little water, if it seems too sticky add just a little flour, up to a 1/4 cup.

-place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

now for the rest of the recipe with my modifications 

ingredients for filling

4-5 fresh apples, cored and thinly sliced as shown in the picture

3 tbsp cup unsalted butter, browned

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbsp cinnamon

a sprinkle of salt ingredients for glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp of milk or lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla and

a sprinkle of salt

directions for stacks

-on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a large square  about 24 inches by 24 inches.  add more flour if dough begins to stick

-with a pastry brush, brush the browned butter onto the dough

-do the same with the maple syrup

-sprinkle the cinnamon and salt evenly over the entire square

-using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into even squares or rectangles,  3 inch squares work great

-line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

-make the stacks by carefully putting a piece of dough then a slice of apple, and continue so you have DOUGH-APPLE-DOUG-HAPPLE-DOUGH-APPLE-DOUGH

-place in a warm place for an hour or until the dough rises for a second time

-pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

-after rising is complete bake for 20- 30 minutes or until brown

-meanwhile, mix the powdered sugar, milk or lemon juice, vanilla, and salt

-let the stacks cool for 15 minutes before drizzling the glaze over them

-enjoy these sweet fall treats!  

****note, if you want to make a pull apart bread verses the stacks follow the same instructions but stack vertically in a greased bread pan and increase baking time to 40-50 minutes

photos by kristen bach recipe by half baked blog and modified by kristen bach

scuppernongs

photograph by rinne allen

the alabama organic cotton project

We've written about our friends at Alabama Chanin here many times; They are continually doing great things. Recently, alongside their friend and frequent collaborator Billy Reid, they've seen the launch of their first line of garments grown from their very own organic cotton.

Over two years ago, members of the Alabama Chanin and Billy Reid teams planted seeds for a 6.9 acre organic cotton crop, and tended the field with the help of friends & family. In the fall of that year, they celebrated the harvest by hosting a picking party for the 150+ friends who came to help pick this first batch of organically grown cotton. The cotton was then delivered to a nearby gin, and then traversed the south to various mills where it eventually became yards & yards of cotton jersey fabric.

Rinne documented the harvest and the crop's journey to becoming clothing designed, made and sold by Alabama Chanin and Billy Reid. Her work, alongside more photographs and details about the harvest can be found in the first installment of her New York Times series on harvests across the South.

photograph by rinne allen

black eyed susan

photograph by rinne allen

abandoned gin

recently, on a drive to the south carolina coast, i passed this abandoned cotton gin...the roof had fallen in, but the machines were still standing tall.

words and photographs by rinne allen

church door

photograph by rinne allen

mcclellanville, SC

i spent time north of charleston recently and loved discovering the hidden town of mcclellanville. (kristen was actually there too just a few months ago.) i could not believe all of the architectural gems tucked away behind the spanish moss and along the marsh...enjoy!

words and photographs by rinne allen

green grass

photograph by rinne allen